James Young’s hard work pays off, drives Celtics to win

The majority of James Young’s career minutes have come during garbage time – late in a game when the Celtics are either leading big or trailing big.

Saturday night, however, Brad Stevens inserted Young during the second quarter of a tight matchup against the Indiana Pacers, and the young guard delivered with the best all-around game of his career.

Young posted 12 points, three rebounds, two steals and an assist during Boston’s 105-99 win at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. He shot 5-of-6 from the field, 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and provided a much-needed active, physical presence on the defensive end of the floor.

“It felt really good just to go out there and play the game right,” said Young with a grin of pleasure and fulfillment after finishing one point shy of his career high. “Coach said for me to stay ready, and I was. I’ve just been working hard ever since the summer, trying to stay consistent with the little things, and really just try to help the team out.”

Walter Cornett, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, is the owner and operator of Walter’s Wildcat World. He founded WildcatWorld.com in 1998 making it one of the oldest Kentucky basketball fan sites in operation today.